SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation will hold two public scoping meetings to gather information from other agencies, interested parties, and the public on the scope of alternatives for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shasta Dam Fish Passage Evaluation (SDFPE) project. The SDFPE project evaluates the near-term actions of reintroducing Federally-listed endangered winter-run Chinook salmon and potentially spring-run Chinook salmon to tributaries above Shasta Dam. The near-term goal is to increase the geographic distribution and abundance of the listed fish. The long-term goal is to increase abundance, productivity, and spatial distribution, and to improve the life history, health, and genetic diversity of the target species.
The public scoping meetings on the EIS are scheduled for:
Tuesday, June 27, 2017, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825, Federal Building, Cafeteria Room C-1001.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., 20814 Mammoth Drive, Lakehead, CA 96051, Lakehead Lions Club.
The EIS will assess impacts associated with the implementation of the near-term activities identified under Action V in the National Marine Fisheries Service Reasonable and Prudent Alternative from the 2009 Biological Opinion and Conference Opinion on the Long-term Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. Action V includes a Fish Passage Program to evaluate the reintroduction of Federally-listed Chinook salmon and steelhead to three dams operated by Reclamation: Shasta, Folsom, and New Melones.
In 2016, Reclamation released a Draft Pilot Implementation Plan. This Pilot Plan provided a general overview of winter-run Chinook Salmon reintroduction to historical habitats in the Study Area. In 2017, Reclamation prepared a Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment as part of the planning process to evaluate and disclose potential environmental effects associated with the SDFPE’s implementation of a Pilot Study to assess the feasibility of the reintroduction of Federally-listed Chinook salmon in tributaries above Shasta Lake. These documents can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/BayDeltaOffice/shasta-dam-fish-pass.html.
Written comments are due by close of business Friday, July 28, 2017, and should be sent to Carolyn Bragg, Bureau of Reclamation, Bay-Delta Office, 801 I Street, Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814. You can also submit public comments at the public scoping meetings, email cbragg@usbr.gov or faxed to 916-414-2439. For additional information, please contact Bragg at 916-414-2433(TTY 800-877-8339).
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
